Yesterday (18 September), the government of Australia granted the environmental tick of approval for a 300MW solar PV power plant to be developed in north Queensland.
Cambridge JMD Australia, a regional subsidiary of fund manager Cambridge RE Partners, is developing the 300MW Cambridge Solar Farm, which is located approximately 80km south of Townsville and will connect to existing transmission infrastructure.
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It will be situated near a proposed Renewable Energy Zone (REZ) previously identified by the Queensland government. Three possible REZs, named Far North Queensland, Collinsville, and Flinders, could be developed in the north and far north regions of Queensland. These are expected to generate up to 5GW of renewable energy if all are completed.
In the case of the Cambridge Solar Farm, being situated close to the REZs could be a boon for the project, allowing it to leverage modern and upgraded transmission and infrastructure to connect to the National Electricity Market (NEM).
Plans for the 300MW Cambridge Solar Farm also reveal that a battery energy storage system (BESS) could be developed on-site. The capacity and duration of this have not been disclosed.
Site preparation works are expected to commence in late 2025, with the first phase of solar panels to be installed and connected over a 12-month period. Commissioning of the first phase of solar PV modules is expected to occur in late 2026.
Tanya Plibersek, Australia’s minister for the environment and water, said that the Labor government is getting on with turning the country into a renewable energy superpower while also attacking the Liberal–National Coalition’s stance on nuclear energy.
“I’ve ticked off more than 60 renewable energy projects in two years – enough to power almost seven million homes. Peter Dutton can’t tell Australians how much you will pay to build his nuclear reactors, how much the expensive nuclear power will add to your bills, or even how many reactors there will be in Australian communities,” Plibersek said.
“Australians have a choice between a renewable energy transition that’s already underway and driving down prices or paying for an expensive nuclear fantasy that may never happen.”
